The world was all abuzz earlier this year when the car formerly known as the Camaro Z28 made its world debut as the Camaro ZL1. With 580 horsepower and 556 ft-lbs of torque, it is an absolute beast. A monster, if you will. With a track-tuned suspension and a Nurburgring time of 7 minutes and 42 seconds, the Camaro ZL1 promises to be the most badass Camaro ever built once it goes on sale next summer.

But maybe a 580 horsepower coupe isn’t good enough for you. Maybe you are the kind of person who just has to have a droptop, even if it is heavier and less suited to racing. If you are that kind of person, well Chevrolet has the answer for you; the Camaro ZL1 convertible.

The vert offers all the same excellent features as the ZL1 Camaro coupe, including magnetic ride suspension, 580 horsepower, and a 3.9 second sprint from 0-60 MPH (in the auto; manual-equipped cars will take 4.0 seconds to reach 60) And of course, the ability to drop the top at any time, inflicting horrible drag at high speeds.

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But the real selling point of the Camaro ZL1 convertible is the price. Starting at $54,995, it is cheaper than the Dodge Viper, Shelby GT500 convertible, and any number of sporty European convertibles. The ZL1 convertible offers a lot of bang for the buck, though we doubt Chevy plans to stop here. The ZL1 Camaro Coupe goes on sale next summer, and the convertible goes on sale in late 2012.